Eurovision Song Contest: 10 surprising facts

Tgrand final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Malmo, Sweden, on Saturday 11 May. The international songwriting competition is famous for its exuberant performances. However, this year has generated controversy and protests related to the Israel-Hamas war.

Artists from countries across Europe – and beyond – competed in two televised semi-finals earlier this week. The long-awaited final will see the winner crowned by a combination of votes from viewers around the world and ratings from music industry juries. The 2023 contest achieved 162 million viewers around the world. In the US, viewers can stream the 2024 final live on Peacock, according to the Associated Press.

Dean Vuletic, a leading Eurovision historian, calls the contest “a show of cultural diversity unlike any other,” during a video call with TIME.

See more information: Dutch contestant disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest hours before the final

Eurovision cemented its new slogan “United by Music” at the end of 2023 and organizers insist the contest is not political. But this year’s competition sparked outrage from pro-Palestinian protesters who criticized organizers for allowing Israel to participate in the competition.

TIME has compiled 10 surprising facts about the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, notable past winners, controversies and more.

Eurovision originally began as a technical experiment in television broadcasting

The organizers wanted to see if they could carry out a live, simultaneous, transnational broadcast across Europe. The first contest was held on May 24, 1956, and only seven countries participated: Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and Italy, according to the Eurovision website.

“It was really a showcase of the different musical cultures, popular musical cultures, in Europe,” Vuletic tells TIME. “I think that’s why it has continued to attract the fascination of Europeans ever since.”

The contest has increased in popularity and size since then. Now watched by viewers around the world, this year’s competition features artists from 37 countries.

A Holocaust survivor represented Germany in the first competition in 1956

Walter Andreas Schwarz, a Jewish Holocaust survivor, competed for Germany in the first Eurovision. He ended up finishing second overall.

Vuletic says this shows that “countries were already using Eurovision as cultural diplomacy since the first contest”.

The term “Eurovision” comes from a British journalist

George Campey – who later joined the BBC, where held several senior positions—was a journalist at London Night Pattern when he was writing an article about European television in November 1951.

“This happened partly by accident,” Campey said in a previous interview with BBC.

As Campey typed, he wondered how he could put the phrase “European television” in a headline. He started typing “Euro” and then matched it with “vision”. The newspaper published the sentence. The “catchy term” ended up catching on, Vuletic tells TIME.

The contest broke a world record

In 2015, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized Eurovision as the longest-running annual TV music competition. The contest was only canceled once – in 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2024 is the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s Eurovision victory

The pop supergroup represented Sweden in 1974 and performed the song “Waterloo”. It was the first time that Sweden had won the contest, according to the Eurovision website. ABBA went on to enjoy widespread international success, with their songs immortalized in the popular musical Mom Mia! and the films that accompany them.

Olivia Newton-John also competed in Eurovision

Also in 1974, the singer known for her role as Sandy in Grease represented the United Kingdom in the international singing competition, according to Eurovision website. She performed the song “Long Live Love”, placing fourth overall.

See more information: Eurovision organizers reprimand artists for using pro-Palestinian symbols

Celine Dion won Eurovision in 1988

The Canadian singer represented Switzerland in 1988, according to Associated press. Dion competed with the song “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.” She’s another example of a Eurovision winner who became a big hit in North America, says Vuletic.

“It might seem strange because, you know, we talk about artists representing their own countries at Eurovision; that’s what usually happens,” Vuletic told TIME. “But there is actually no rule that requires an artist to be a citizen of the country he represents.”

A Eurovision song was the first winner of the Song of the Year and Record of the Year awards at the Inaugural Grammy Awards in 1959

Representing Italy, Domenico Modugno performed “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” at Eurovision in 1958 and came third overall. The song has since been covered by renowned musicians such as David Bowie and Paul McCartney, according to Reuters.

Ireland and Sweden are the countries with the most victories

The two countries have each won Eurovision seven times, more than any other participating country, according to BBC. Cyprus, in turn, was the one that participated in the competition the most times and with the fewest victories (it has not yet won).

Not all participating countries are in Europe

To participate in the contest, a country must be a active member from the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, so eligibility does not depend solely on geography. Australiafor example, it has participated in Eurovision since 2015.

Israel is also a regular participant in the competition – a decision that sparked controversy this year among pro-Palestinian activists. In the days leading up to the 2024 final, Sweden increased security in Malmo in anticipation of protests. And on Thursday, thousands of pro-Palestine protesters – including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg – marched through the city, Associated press reported.